321st Bomb Group, 448th Bomb Squadron, B-25 Mitchell Medium Bomber, Combat Pilot Lt. William W Bowman was the C.P. in the B-25 #41-31001 with the C.O. Capt. Clayton H Heinlen as Pilot on the [now famous] Gen. Bob Knapp's BOBCATS Group flight across the Atlantic (in a single mass without loss) the Southern Route in Feb. 1943. http://57thbombwing.com/gallery2/main.php?g2itemId=68275 William's 57th Bomb Wing Gallery-Album :)_

A/C No. 41-30001 P -Heinlen, Clayton H., Capt, 448th BS Commander CP -Bowman, William W., 2Lt N - Ligarde, Honore (NMI), 2Lt B - N/A E - Brisco, Albert S., M/Sgt R - Egbom, Clarence W., S/Sgt G - Dellwo, Lawrence H., S/Sgt F - Pinger, Robert R., Capt, HQ 321st BG (PAX)

Monday, 15 March 1943 (1st Combat Mission) TUNISIA, Northwest Africa

448th BS Mission Summary: (Ops Order 1/mission 1) Group Mission # 1: Mission one (1): At 13:40 twelve planes off to bomb L/G at Mezzouna. Dropped 762 x 20 frags. at 15:07 from 3,500 feet. Target covered by bursts. Hits observed on or near 10 two engine planes believe to be JU-88’s One cluster seen to fall on flak emplacement. 36 P-40’s were escorts, slight heavy accurate flak, 3 planes hit with slight damage. Weather 3/10 cover.

A/C No. 41-13001 P - Heinlen, Clayton H., Capt, Commander

CP - Bowman, William W., 2Lt

N - Ligarde, Honore (NMI), 2Lt B - Brown, Robert H. “Brownie”, 1Lt E - None listed – likely Ridgeway, Robert L., S/Sgt R - Egbom, Clarence H., S/Sgt G - Dellwo, Lawrence H., S/Sgt

2nd Mission; Saturday, 20 March 1943

3rd Mission; Sunday, 21 March 1943

4th Mission; Thursday, 25 March 1943

5th Mission; Sunday, 28 March 1943

6th Mission; Tuesday, 30 March 1943

7th Mission; Tuesday, 30 March 1943 (2 in same day)

321st Bomb Group Headlines, http://57thbombwing.com/321stHistory/321stHeadlines.pdf_

This is some of what William would have seen and experienced as he was in this famous Knapp Flight Over! http://57thbombwing.com/321stHistory/MS7242.pdf

(EXTREMELY LARGE file, it will take some time to load :)

Barbi Ennis Connolly 321st Bomb Group Historian; 321st BG Historical Research Team; John T Fitzgerald (446), Patti Johnson (446) and Barbi Ennis Connolly (447thBS) PRINCESSBARBIB25@msn.com_